Table assembly



April 12, 1932.

FOLSOM TABLE ASSEMBLY 2, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed Aug.

INVENTOR RaZphFoZaom WITNESSES ATTORNEYS R. FOLSOM TABLE ASSEMBLY April 12, 1932.

2, 1926 4 Shgets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug.

INVENTOR FafphTBZsom ATTORNEYS WITNESSES 'April 12, 1932. R; FOLQDM 1,854,129

I TABLE AS SEMBLY Filed Aug. 2, 1926 4 Sheets-Shee t I5 ATTORNEYS A ril 12,1932.

R. FOLSOM TABLE ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 2, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR jFa'gvh 7 0160770 WITNESSES ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 12, 1932 UNITED i s-rates RALPH FOLSOM, 0F PENDLETON, OREGON" 'ITAIBLE -A$SEMIBLY Applicationfi-led. August 2, 1926. SeriaI No. 126,534.

This inventiomrelates to. improvements in tables, and itconsists of the constructions, combinations and arrangements herein described andclaimed. Y

An obj ect of the. inventionis. .to provide. a. table assembly Which,as itsname-implies consists of several table units capable of. use either singly orin combination, the arrangement being Welladapted asameans .for assisting in relieving crowded I conditions in apartments and thelike, in which use the assembly can be madeto serve as several in.- dependent pieces of furniture.

'Other objects and. advantages Will. appear in the following specification, reference being haolto the. accompanying drawings, in Which Figure. 1' is a. perspectivevieW of'the table assembly.

EigureLQ is across sectiontakenon the line 22 o'fFig. 1. V

Figure 3.is an inverted-perspective view ofthe table assembly.

'FigureQL is. adetailperspective view shoW ing the central or card tablev disassembled.

Figure5- is aninverted perspective view, showing the end-tables combined into a single round! table.

Figure G'isa sectioirtaken substantially on theline 6'-6 of .Figure '3, illustrating the locking device.

Figure 7 is a sectiontaken .onlthe 1ine"7'7 of Fig. 6.

Figure-8 is an invertedperspectivezview of a modified form of'table.

Figure 9 isa detail perspective view of one of the small tables of the modification.

Modern crowded living conditions have tablelassembly- (FigslandB). lIt. iscom posed of. .a .pair. of. end I table 1 units i2 and .3 anda central unitor mantles- Each of. the. table: units has. a plurality of. legs and6 these, preferably,: being four in number. They. are appropriately: seeuredlinpermanently. rigidpendent positions.

:The tops of the: units2land- 3 are semi? circular, the straight edges .7 being; grooved as .at18 toreceive. the tongues. 9 onthelong-itudinal edges of the. rectangular top a of the table 4', When :all i of the units are assembled. as=inE-igures.1wandl3. Those of the legs .of the end table units-= coniing, adjacent .to the straight edges 7' areadditibnzilly bracedlas atzlO. and 11,. notonl y to. compensate'ilr a measure for the grooving out... of portions of such legs .to.meet the needs o'ff thedocking devicelbut. also; to insure ample-strength at. the points inquestion.

.Reinforcing plates.12and. 13. add" thickness to the topsof the endatable-units,zassistin bracing the legs and provide necessary foundation for. theapplicati'on ofpairs of studs .14. and 15; and. spring .clips 16. andII'T which serve to hold 'the side extensions 18 and l9= when.not iniuse. (Big. 5 respect to. assisting in thebracing ofthe leg sthe. re-- inforcing plates. Brand 13 are cutflat. appropriate. placesasaat QOTinQFigure .31 and .21 in Figure 2 to fit aroundzthe various legs- The -plates usually .are. .composedbf Wood, and they are: recessed ..at.' 22 and'23 .to make: room for certain centering elements (Figs 3 and .5.) which comeiinto use-only when theend. units '2'. and I 3 are :assenibledlinto a; round table as'inFigureI5.

The. central. unit. or card, table 4-" has, legs. 24 rigidly connected. togethenizr pairs. by cross pieces or 'brid'ges'2'5'. These-bridges are hinged. at. 2'6 beneath the tabletop soithat. the pairs of-. .legs--may be-sWungint'o collapsed or extended positions to meetl'the conditions When the unit 145 is combinedf-in the general assembly as in F-igure'3'. or used-. as: an independent ktable .as in "Figure, .4; A iblok 27' (Figsj3 and 4) supports a suitable spring. strip 28in the-center, the freeends of'the strip engaging the'bridgesto holdthe pairs oflegs' in either oftwo positions. w

For the purpose of holding the legs in the extended positions the bridges are grooved at 29 to produce outer and inner walls 30 and 31. The inner walls are cut out at 32, producing recesses into which the ends can enter to assume abutt-ing positions against the outer walls 30. The reader can see that the arrangement (Fig. 4) looks the legs 24 in the extended position, it only being necessary to reach under the table and pull the ends of the strip 28 down when the legs can be swung under out of the way. The socalled spring strip 28 is composed of a length of suitable wood, although a metallic piece may be employed if desired.

The side extensions 18 and 19, mentioned before, are separate pieces, being used to complete the table when the units are assembled as in Figures 1 and 3. They are as deep as the drops 33 and 34 of the end tables 2 and 3, but are a little thicker. Each side extension, 19' for example, pivotally carries a lever 35 as at 36. The lever has a finger piece 37 by which it is rocked on the pivot. A portion of the lever is bent out at 38 to form a shoulder. Locking rods 39 are pivot-ed to the lever 35 at equal distances from the lever pivot 36, the pivotal points of the rods being at diametrically opposite sides so that proper action of the lever may be had as presently appears.

Heads 40 and 41 (Figs. 6 and 7) on the locking rods are intended to enter the grooved places 42 and 43 of adjacent ones of the legs 5 and 6 of the end tables. These grooves or recesses are faced or covered by plates 44. These are secured by screws or other means 45. Each of the plates has a key hole 46 (Figs. 2, 6 and 7) into the large or round part of which the heads 40 and 41 may be introduced prior to moving the lever 35 into the locking position (Fig. 3) at which time the heads bind against the face plates behind the narrow parts of the key holes. Dow-e1 pins 47 on the side extensions enter appropriate openings 48 immediately beneath the face plates.

In Case the end units 2 and 3 are assembled into a round table as in Figure 5 use is made of the centering unit, previously mentioned, in order to keep the end tables together and in properly centered position. These are composed of pairs of flanged lugs 49 and 50, pivoted at 51 (Fig. 3) so that they may be swung around into positions of engagement of the flanges One of the end table units fixedly carries a plate 52 (Fig. 3) with a pendent and rounded flange 53. The opposite table unit pivotally carries a latch 54 which may be swung by means of the finger piece 55 until the head of the latch binds upon the rounded flange 53 (Fig. 5) to hold the parts together.

Attention is directed to Figures 8 and 9 which illustrate a modification to the extent that a plurality of central units or card tables are incorporated in the assembly between the end tables. The arrangement is that of a rectangular table. The end tables 55 and 56 can be assembled to make a square table when disconnected from the assembly shown. These end tables have a plurality of legs 57 and 58, the form and arrangement being somewhat difi erent from that disclosed for example in Figures 3 and 5. A plurality of central units 59 and 60 are of rectangular shape, either one or both of the units shown being capable of use depending upon the size of table desired. These units like the unit 4 (Fig. 4) have tongues 61 on each of the longitudinal edges to fit either in grooves 62 in the end tables or in grooves 63 of a connecting strip 64. The connecting strip provides a flush oint when two central units are used in the assembly as shown, and on the same principle, more than two central units and more than a single connecting strip may be employed.

Relatively long side extensions 65 and 66 are required to fill in the space between the drops 67 and 68 of the end tables when the two central units 59 and 60 are used. Relatively short side extensions 69 are used for the same purpose when but one of the central units is used. 011 the same principle even longer side extensions will have to be used if it is proposed to add more than the two central units.

The relatively short side extensions 69 may be stored in a concealed position by spring clips 70 which are so arranged beneath the end tables as to press against the side extensions and hold them in place as shown. The relatively long side extensions 65 and 66 have pivoted levers 71 for operating locking rods 72 in the manner clearly brought out be fore in connection with the first form as not to warrant a repetition of the description. The legs 73 of the central units 59 and 60 may be swung down to the extended position (Figs. 8 and 9) where they are held by a spring strip 74 entering recesses 75 in a manner easily understood.

Reverting to the connecting strip 64 it is observed in Figure 8 that it has a slidable cleat 76 provided with a slot 7 7 which receives screws or the like 78. There will be a similar cleat on the opposite end shown. The oleat has a bent part 7 9 which serves as a handle, and a second bent part 80 that serves as a latch. The latter enters the recess 81 in the adjacent side extension 66, the purpose of the two cleats being to hold the connecting strip centralized between the tables 59 and 60 when the assembly is completed.

The operation is readily understood. Should it be desired to employ the device as a dining table the various units 2, 3 and 4 are assembled as in Figure 1. The side extensions 18 and 19 are put in place and looked as in Figures 3, 6 and 7. The locking device League holds the end tables 2 and 3 in place against the central table 4.

The locking device comprises the lever 35 (Fig. 7) which is swung upon its pivot 36 into the dotted line position in order to extend the locking rods 39 and permit the introduction of the heads 40 and 41 into the key holes 46 of the adjacent end tables. The lever 35 is then moved upwardly into the full line position whereupon the shoulder 38 forcibly displaces the adjacent locking rod 39. The locking rod is of resilient nature, and by virtue of springing back in place beneath the shoulder 38 serves to hold the lever 35 in the locked position. Thepivotal points of the locking rods 39 come diametrically opposite each other, and when the lever 35 is in the locked position they fall substantially upon a line drawn through the main pivot 36. There is therefore a direct pull straight across. Upon desiring to release the locking device the lever 35 is moved down into the dotted line position whereupon the heads 40 and 41 are loosened and can readily be taken out of the key holes 46.

When used as described the pairs of legs 24 of the center table 4 are folded up and under out of the Way. But should it be desired to use the table 4 independently as a card table, sewing table or the like the foregoing looking devices are released and the table 4 taken out. The legs 24 are then extended as in Figure 4, being held in place by the spring strip 28.

Each of the end tables 2 and 3 may be used separately, the straight edges (Fig. 1) being placed against a wall or the like. Again, the two semi-circular end tables may be combined into a small round table as in Figure 5. It is then that the centering units 49, 50 52 and 54 come into play. The latch 54 is swung over upon the rounded flange 53 in order to hold the two table units together.

Inasmuch as the side extensions 18 and 19 must be taken care of, the provision of the studs 14 and 15 and the spring clips 16 and 17 (Fig. 3) permits placing said extensions underneath the end tables as shown in Figure 5. The studs serve as rests, and the spring clips press the side extensions against the studs or rests holding them in position as long as desired.

The foregoing description applies to the modification in Figures 8 and 9 as well, it having been brought out that the modification employs a plurality of central units or card tables 59 and 60 instead of the single central unit 4 in the first form of the invention. By omitting both central units and bringing the end tables 55 and 56 together it becomes possible to make a square table. By using one of the central units 59 the table may be made slightly longer, and by using both units the table will be made still longer.

In the latter instance it is necessary to employ, the connecting strip ,64 which is latched or held in place'by the' cleats'76 (only one being shown) illustrated in Figure '8; Also, in-the'lattei -instance the'side extensions .651

and- 66: must be -made relatively long-,1 the shorter side extensions 69being stored in a:

concealed. extension beneath the end tables for'the time being.

While the construction and arrangementof the'improved table assembly is that of a generally preferred form, obviously modi fications and changes may be made without" departing from the spirit of the invention" or the scopeofthe claims.

I claim:-

1. A plurality of table units comprising a i rectangular table and a pair of semi-circular endwtables each being complete for independent use,'said' end' tables having plates with holes, locking means to secure the table units together to form a complete table assembly, said locking means comprisingrods with heads insertiblein the holes, and a mov able'lever by which the rods are pivotallycarried and by which the rods are actuated to bind or release the'hea'ds in respect to said plates, and means by which the locking levers at the straight edges to assume confronting positions,'said'legs being, grooved out at places and having cover plates with key holes, a rectangular central table unit insertible in position between said end table units to form a complete assembly, parallel edges of the rectangular table engaging the straight edges of the end tables, drops underlying the outer edges of the central table and extending between the end tables in abutting positions with said certain legs, and locking means carried by said drops including headed looking rods engaging said plates behind the key holes to secure the units together.

3. A sectional table comprising opposite individually supported end table units having fixed drops thereon and an intermediate individually supported table unit, detachable drops for said intermediate table units alintially circular unitary table structure with said rectilinear edges abutting, said means including pairs of cooperating centering lugs mounted in alinement on the under sides of the table units at their abutting edges, a movable latching member on one unit, and an opposed lug fixed on the other unit having an abutment flange engageable by said latching member.

5. A sectional table comprising a central rectangular table unit having individual supporting means and a pair of substantially semi-circular end table units having fixed drops extending around their curved outer edges and pendent supporting legs positioned inwardly of said drops at the rectilinear inner edges of the semi-circular units, said end units being arranged with their inner rectilinear edges abutting opposite rectilinear edges of the central unit, separate drops below the outer sides of said central unit alined with and forming a central continuation of the drops of the end units, and locking means on the inner sides of said drops movable to engage and interlock with said pendent supporting legs at the abutting rectilinear inner edges of said end units.

6. A sectional table comprising opposite end units and an intermediate table unit, each having individual supporting means, oppositely directed rods headed at the remote ends, rockable means to which the near ends of the rods are pivoted, means to mount the rockable means on said intermediate unit, and means on each of the opposite units to be gripped by the heads.

RALPH FOLSOM. 

